Machine spotting device

ABSTRACT

A machine spotting device for accurately positioning a machine traveling over rails with respect to a preselected position along the rails comprises a plurality of indexing surfaces that are remote from and run along the length of the rails with an indexing surface corresponding to each position to which the machine is to be spotted, a conventional indexing cylinder for moving the machine a predetermined spaced distance from the indexing surface to the preselected position, an arm having one end pivotally mounted to the machine and having the indexing cylinder mounted to its other end, and another cylinder for moving the arm into operative association with the indexing surfaces.

United States Patent [191 Kmety MACHINE SPOTTING DEVICE [75] Inventor:Andrew Kmety, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Koppers Company, Inc., Pittsburgh,

[22] Filed: Sept. 22, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 182,663

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,124,736 3/1964 Randell etal.. 214/23 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 5/1917 Great Britain214/18 PH [451 Aug. 28, 1973 Primary Examiner-Norman Yudkoff ss tantqminewDa i Edwards Attorney-Fred C. Trenor, Olin E. Williams et a1.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A machine spotting device for accurately positioning amachine traveling over rails with respect to a preselected positionalong the rails comprises a plurality of indexing surfaces that areremote from and run along the length of the rails with an indexingsurface corresponding to each position to which the machine is to bespotted, a conventional indexing cylinder for moving the machine apredetermined spaced distance from the indexing surface to thepreselected position, an arm having one end pivotally mounted to themachine and having the indexing cylinder mounted to its other end, andanother cylinder for moving the arm into operative association with theindexing surfaces.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures MACHINE SPOTTING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to a spotting device for use with railtraveling machines and, more particularly, to a spotting device foraccurately positioning coke oven machines with respect to a selectedcoke oven of a coke oven battery.

In conventional coke oven operations some auxiliary coke oven equipmentor machinery must be accurately positioned and aligned with respect to aparticular coke oven of the battery for the proper functioning of suchequipment. Such auxiliary coke oven equipment includes, for example,larry cars for charging coal into a coke oven and pusher machines forpushing hot coke from the coke oven.

I-Ieretofore, operators of auxiliary coke oven machines have visuallyspotted the machines with respect to the selected coke oven. As would beexpected, the operator frequently is unable to properly and accuratelyalign the machine with the coke oven for various reasons; for example,the operator's vision of the coke oven may be obscured by dust, smoke orexisting equipment. Consequently, there has been a long-felt need for amachine spotting device which is capable of moving a coke oven machineinto an exact alignment or position with respect to the coke oven afterthe coke oven machine has been conveniently moved to the generalvicinity of the preselected coke oven.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A machine spotting device for accuratelypositioning a-machine that travels over rails with respect to apreselected position along such rails comprises a plurality of indexingsurfaces that are remote from and run along the length of the rails.Each indexing surface corresponds to each position to which the machineis to be spotted. A machine moving means is provided for engaging theindexing surfaces and moving the machine a predetermined spaced distancefrom the indexing surface to the preselected position. A means beingpivotally mounted to the machine is provided for carrying the machinemoving means and placing the machine moving means into operativeassociation with the indexing surfaces.

' BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational, schematic view of an embodiment of a machinespotting device mounted to a conventional'larry car made in accordancewith the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the machine spotting device ofFIG. 1 taken at line [1-1].

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In FIG. 1 a coke oven 11 which is a part of a cokeoven battery has a conventional larry car 13 traveling on wheels 16along rails that extend over the roof of the coke oven battery. Thelarry car 13 has a spotting device 17 made in accordance with theinvention that is suspended underneath the superstructure 14 of thelarry car 13.

The larry car 13 moving along rails 15 receives coal from a conventionalcoal bunker (not shown) into its hoppers l9 and, after the larry car 13has been aligned with the selected coke oven, discharges the coal fromthe hoppers 19 into the coke oven through conventional coke oven ports21. After the coal has been discharged into the coke oven, the larry car13 returns to the coal bunker to receive a fresh supply of coal.

In accordance with the invention a conventional rack 23, as shown moreclearly in FIG. 2, runs along the length of the battery from end to endand is fixed thereto by fasteners or the like. The rack 23 hasrelatively wide interdental spaces 25 at spaced intervals along the rack23. Each interdental space 25 corresponds to each coke oven of thebattery and has a width sufficient to receive the machine spottingdevice 17.

Each interdental space 25 provides an indexing surface 27 and anoppositely spaced backstop surface 29 as shown in FIG. 2. These surfaces27 and 29 are planar surfaces that are generally perpendicular to thedirection of travel of the larry car 13. Each indexing surface 27 andeach backstop surface 29 corresponds to each coke oven of the battery,and in every case, the distance between the indexing surfaces 27 and thebackstop surfaces 29 of each space 25 is equivalent.

As shown in FIG. 2 each backstop surface 29 is aligned with thecenterline of each coke oven. However, the position of the indexingsurface 27 or of the backstop surface 29 with respect to the coke ovenwill depend upon the position of the spotting device 17 with respect tothe charging hoppers of the larry car.

The machine spotting device 17 includes an indexing cylinder 31, asshown in FIG. 2, which has a plunger 33 that is engageable with theindexing surface 27. The indexing cylinder 31 is mounted to one end ofarm 35 which is pivotally mounted to the larry car 13 with pivots 37 atits other end. The direction in which the arm 35 pivots is substantiallyat right angles or perpendicular to the direction of travel of the larrycar.

Intermediate the ends of the arm 35 there is provided an arm movingcylinder 39 for pivoting the arm 35 on its pivots 37 from itsdisengaged, carrying position (illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 1)into its'engaged, operating position (illustrated in solid lines in FIG.1). The cylinder 39 is pivotally mounted to the larry car 13 with pivots41 and to the arm 35 with pivots 43. The arm 35 and its indexingcylinder 31 is carried under neath the superstructure 14 of the larrycar in the disengaged position without interfering with the travel ofthe larry car 13 to and from selected coke ovens and is dropped into theengaged position when the larry car is to be spotted with respect to aselected coke oven.

The indexing cylinder 31 and arm moving cylinder 39 illustrated hereinare conventional and are commercially available. Hydraulic electrical,pneumatic cylinders and the like may be used in accordance with theinvention.

When the indexing cylinder 31 is lowered into the engaged operatingposition (illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 1) the cylinder 31 isactuated and plunger 33 first engages the indexing surface 27. Theindexing surface 27 serves as a reference point for the larry car. Afterthe plunger engages the indexing surface, the larry car 13 begins tomove away from the indexing surface due to the action of the cylinder 31until the plunger 33 has extended its full stroke whereupon the back end32 of cylinder 31 engages the backstop surface 29. Then the cylinder 31engages the backstop surface 29 and the larry car is accurately alignedwith the coke oven and cannot travel further with respect to the cokeuntil the indexing cylinder 31 is raised to its disengaged position.

As an optional feature of the invention there is provided in FIG. 1 afirst limit switch 45 which is actuated by the movement of arm 35 andwhich prevents the actuation of the indexing cylinder 31 until the arm35 is moved to the engaged position (shown in solid lines in FIG. 1)whereupon the limit switch 45 allows the indexing cylinder 31 to beactuated. There is also provided a second limit switch 47 which is,also, actuated by the movement of arm 35 and which prevents the drivingmechanism (not shown) of the larry car 13 from operating until the arm35 is moved to its disengaged position (shown in phantom lines in FIG.I).

In FIG. 2 there is provided shims 49 which are used to adjust theposition of the backstop surface 29 due to variations and changes in thealignment of the backstop surfaces 29 with respect to the coke oven.Such changes will occur due to conventional thermal expansion andcontraction of the coke oven battery.

In operation the larry car 13 is loaded with coal at coal bunker (notshown) and travels therefrom to a selected coke oven over rails 15.During this travel the arm 35 and the indexing cylinder 31 are disposedin the disengaged carrying position. The second limit switch 47 isengaged allowing the driving mechanism of the larry car to move thelarry car therealong on rails 15. The driving mechanism of the larry car13 is stopped in the near vicinity of the coke oven which is to becharged by the operator in a conventional manner. The arm movingcylinder 39 is actuated by the operator and it pivots the arm 35 and theindexing cylinder 31 into operative association with the interdentalspace 25 for the selected coke oven as shown in solid lines in FIG. 1and as shown in FIG. 2. The second limit switch 47 is thereby releasedand prevents the driving mechanism (not shown) of the larry car 13 fromoperating so that only the indexing cylinder 31 may advance the larrycar 13 to its preselected position in accordance with the invention. Asthe arm 35 and the indexing cylinder 31 move from the disengagedposition (in phantom lines) to engaged position (in solid lines) thefirst limit switch 45 is actuated allowing the indexing cylinder 31 tobe actuated at will. The indexing cylinder 31 is actuated by theoperator of the larry car in a conventional manner and thereupon plunger33 engages the indexing surface 27 in FIG. 2 and urges the larry car 13away from the indexing surface. The indexing cylinder 31 and the larrycar 13 are now moved until the back 32 of the indexing cylinder engagesthe backstop surface 29 whereupon the larry car 13 is perfectly alignedwith its coke oven. The coal in the hoppers 19 of the larry car 13 isdischarged into the coke oven in a conventional manner. The indexingcylinder 31 is released, its plunger 33 is withdrawn and the arm movingcylinder 39 returns the arm 35 to the disengaged position (in phantomlines in FIG. 1). The second limit switch 47 thereby is actuated andpermits the driving mechanism (not shown) of the larry car to advancethe larry car 13 along rails to the coal bunker (not shown) to receiveanother charge of coal to be charged into another coke oven. The firstlimit switch 45 is released preventing the indexing cylinder 31 frombeing actuated.

It will be readily apparent'to those skilled in the art that myinvention may be practiced with the other auxiliary coke oven equipment,such as, for example, a pusher machine or a quenching car. Thisinvention may also be practiced with other types of rail travelingequipment.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for positioning a machine travelling over rails on asupporting surface with respect to a preselected location along saidrails comprising:

a. plurality of protrusions on said surface, with each protrusion havingopposite indexing and back-stop surfaces, said protrusions beingseparated by interdental spaces; and

b. means for positioning in one of said interdental spaces that isrelated to said preselected location a device that engages the indexingsurface of one protrusion as said machine moves in one direction alongsaid rails and then, as a result of such engagements, said machinereverses said direction of movement until said device engages theback-stop surface of an adjacent protrusion whereby said machine stopsand is spotted at the preselected location.

2. The apparatus of claim I wherein said device comprises a conventionalcylinder having a plunger for engagement with said indexing surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 including:

a. an arm pivotally mounted to said machine and carrying said device;and

b. means for pivoting said arm whereby in one position said deviceengages said protrusions and in another position it avoids engagementwith said protrusions.

4. Apparatus for positioning a machine travelling over rails on asupporting surface with respect to a preselected location along saidrails comprising:

a. a plurality of protrusions on said surface with each protrusionhaving opposite indexing and back-stop surfaces and with saidprotrusions separated by interdental spaces;

b. an arm pivotally mounted to said machine and carrying a device thatis engageable with said indexing surface on one protrusion as saidmachine moves in one direction along said rails and then as a result ofsuch engagement said machine reverses said direction of movement untilsaid device engages said back-stop surface of an adjacent protrusionwhereby said machine stops and is spotted at the preselected location;and

c. means for pivoting said arm whereby in one position said device isengageable with said surfaces and in another position said device is notengageable therewith.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein:

a. said device includes a cylinder and piston assembly; and saidaparatus includes b. limit switches that coact with said arm as itpivots and stops said pivoting when said arm is at a preselectedlocation.

l it t i

1. Apparatus for positioning a machine travelling over rails on asupporting surface with respect to a preselected location along saidrails comprising: a. plurality of protrusions on said surface, with eachprotrusion having opposite indexing and back-stop surfaces, saidprotrusions being separated by interdental spaces; and b. means forpositioning in one of said interdental spaces that is related to saidpreselected location a device that engages the indexing surface of oneprotrusion as said machine moves in one direction along said rails andthen, as a result of such engagements, said machine reversEs saiddirection of movement until said device engages the back-stop surface ofan adjacent protrusion whereby said machine stops and is spotted at thepreselected location.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said devicecomprises a conventional cylinder having a plunger for engagement withsaid indexing surface.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 including: a. an armpivotally mounted to said machine and carrying said device; and b. meansfor pivoting said arm whereby in one position said device engages saidprotrusions and in another position it avoids engagement with saidprotrusions.
 4. Apparatus for positioning a machine travelling overrails on a supporting surface with respect to a preselected locationalong said rails comprising: a. a plurality of protrusions on saidsurface with each protrusion having opposite indexing and back-stopsurfaces and with said protrusions separated by interdental spaces; b.an arm pivotally mounted to said machine and carrying a device that isengageable with said indexing surface on one protrusion as said machinemoves in one direction along said rails and then as a result of suchengagement said machine reverses said direction of movement until saiddevice engages said back-stop surface of an adjacent protrusion wherebysaid machine stops and is spotted at the preselected location; and c.means for pivoting said arm whereby in one position said device isengageable with said surfaces and in another position said device is notengageable therewith.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein: a. saiddevice includes a cylinder and piston assembly; and said aparatusincludes b. limit switches that coact with said arm as it pivots andstops said pivoting when said arm is at a preselected location.